Video: The Fate of Egypt’s Jon Stewart

Video

Bassem Youssef, a popular satirist, was taken off the air after making jokes about Egypt’s military leadership. The shutdown set off a debate, calling into question the army’s commitment to democracy.Published OnNov. 8, 2013

When Egyptians tuned in last week to watch the satire show “Al Bernameg,” often called Egypt’s answer to “The Daily Show,” they found instead an anchor announcing that the program had been suspended. A statement issued by the channel’s board said the program had violated its editorial policy.

The previous week, the show’s host, Bassem Youssef, had joked about Egypt’s military leadership and the public’s adulation of the army’s top general, Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi.

The move to take Mr. Youssef off the air initiated a debate about whether his criticism of the army was behind the decision of the network, CBC. Still, this came on the heels of a broader crackdown that has sought to silence voices skeptical of the military’s commitment to democracy. The absence of Mr. Youssef’s cutting satire also underscores the extent to which mainstream media in Egypt have adopted the army’s narrative of events. Since the military takeover in July, major state-owned and private outlets have largely withheld criticism, cast detractors as a fifth column and characterized the opposition – namely, the Muslim Brotherhood – as terrorists.

Mr. Youssef’s weekly “Al Bernameg” had just returned to the air after a four-month break between seasons. Previously, it had survived an attempt last spring by the Muslim Brotherhood to take it off the air because it mocked the government then in power – the government overturned by Egypt’s current rulers.